14ish more days!

Here's the 38-week shot. She's about the size of a watermelon now and that's pretty much what it looks like.
Without getting into the gory details, I'm more optimistic now than I was a few days ago that Claire's birth, if not exactly imminent, could be on the sooner side. I moved my doctor's appointment from next Thursday to next Monday so I don't have to wait so long for confirmation. :) I also spent from 2-4 a.m. yesterday (when I got ahead of myself and thought I might be on the verge of labor -- newbie mistake) finishing my one remaining article that was due by July 1. Now that that's turned in, I don't have any work responsibilities that someone else couldn't do for me if necessary, which is nice.

Running has actually gotten easier in the past week or so, for a few reasons, I think: I've switched to the treadmill, so I'm not fighting 90-degree heat; I can wear fewer clothes -- more comfortable as well as good for temperature control -- since I'm at home and don't have to worry about whether my belly's covered (it never is anymore); I'm accompanied by my iPod, which I rarely take on outdoor runs; and I tell myself (regardless of whether it's true) that every run is nudging me closer to finally meeting Claire.

Counting down

Another doctor's appointment today, the 37-week one. I never got around to taking a 36-week bump picture so I think I'll skip and just do a 37-week one in two days. Today the measurements were right at about 36 weeks (3 cm. more than last week). Apparently I didn't necessarily grow that much in the past week; the doctor said the numbers can vary depending on the baby's position. Claire's heart rate was still good and strong. They didn't check for dilation or effacement because I haven't had any contractions.

I did find out that my group B strep infection test came back positive (they took the sample last week). It's not a big deal, just means I'll probably take penicillin during labor to prevent it from being passed on to Claire.

Betsy took this picture while she was in town last week. Not very glamorous -- I have a crooked linea nigra, a temporarily deformed belly button and a blob of weirdness above it (site of an ill-advised belly-button ring that lasted all of three months in high school) -- but I still like the picture.

Part 2: Doctors and the bump

(Part 1 is here.)

3. For the past few weeks I'd been feeling like I needed to crack my lower back but couldn't because my stomach was in the way. It was affecting the way I ran but wasn't exactly painful, definitely nothing I couldn't run through and nothing that bothered me when I wasn't running. At the same time I was noticing an occasional sensation in my pelvis -- not really pain, it just felt like my hips or pelvis was spreading. Amanda said she'd felt the same thing so I didn't give it much thought.

Then last Tuesday I ran my normal trails in Rassie Wicker with Lauren R. and my lower back was killing me by the end of the run. For the rest of the night I literally could hardly walk -- I used both hands and the railing to make it up three stairs from the garage to the house. It was borderline excruciating to walk or even stand.

I got online and self-diagnosed it as a problem with my SI joint. Apparently, near the end of pregnancy your body releases a hormone to relax the pelvic area and prepare the joints for childbirth. Occasionally it releases too much and the ligaments get too loose and unstable.

Normally I would wait out this kind of thing but a) the pain was really, really bad and b) I am terrified of chronic back problems and c) everything thing I read said this problem could get worse with future pregnancies, of which I'm hoping for several and d) I will go insane if I can't run again soon. All in all it seemed like something I should try to nip in the bud.

After NINE DAYS of not running the pain is much better but I still can't really walk without limping. So this morning I had the first chiropractor visit of my life. He said it's definitely an SI joint issue but the good news is it should improve a lot with some specific exercises (that I have to go back next week to get -- paying another specialist co-pay, annoying).

He said I should take another week or two off from running while doing these exercises, but after that I should be able to run again (while continuing the exercises for several months). I'm sure it will be awesome running for the first time after two or three weeks off in mid-June at 36 weeks pregnant, but whatever -- I won't complain. I was sure he was going to tell me to just hold off on running until after Claire's born (which I would have ignored, but it's nice to have official approval). He also "adjusted" me and it felt great.

4. This afternoon we had the routine 34-week appointment. Starting with the next appointment (36 weeks) we'll go weekly. Everything looked fine, baby's heart rate was great, urine was clean, etc. I didn't see my regular doctor and this one told me to keep my heart rate below 140 when running, but it's a little too late to worry about that.

He also told me to try to gain a pound by the next visit because apparently I haven't gained weight in the past month, but I'm not sure if he was serious. I am an eating machine -- anyone who's spent time with me will attest to that -- and I don't know of any other way to gain weight (except to cut back on exercise ... hmm).

5. Here's today's bump!

Counting down

Yesterday was the 32-week doctor's appointment and it was, as usual, uneventful. The most excitement came from the fact that we were going to eat at The Villager as soon as it was over. But boring is good when it comes to doctor's appointments.

Claire's heart rate has been in the upper-130s for the last couple of visits, down from the 150s several months ago, but apparently that's good because it's supposed to slow down as the pregnancy progresses. She's already positioned herself bottom-up, which is also good.

It was way early to be bringing this up, but I asked the doctor about the clinic's policy on inducing labor. He thought I was asking how early they would agree to induce me, and he told me 38 or 39 weeks if there were no red flags with the baby. But what I really wanted to know was how overdue I'd be allowed to get, because I'd much prefer to avoid an induction unless it's medically necessary, and he said I could go up to 42 weeks.

I hope and pray I don't go two weeks overdue (my amazing mom endured going THREE weeks overdue -- twice), but I'm glad it doesn't sound like they're going to rush things. I've heard horror stories of people having to fight not to be induced even just a few days after the due date. Which seems stupid since due dates are usually just an educated guess.

The heat of July could usher in a change of heart -- you never know -- but at least in that case it would be my decision, not something they're forcing.

Here's today's 32-week bump picture:In other news, Babies "R" Us called yesterday and said the crib came in, so we're going to pick it up tomorrow. Which means ... Remington Grill!

No more monthly appointments

I feel like this blog's been a little neglected lately. Other than the fact of my rapidly expanding stomach, there's nothing much new to report. I've been feeling rather hugely pregnant for weeks now, but when I look back at pictures even from just two weeks ago, I realize I feel bigger than I look. The baby is now gaining weight at a rate of something like half a pound a week, so soon I will both feel AND look huge.
We had the 30-week appointment today, the last monthly appointment. From now until 36 weeks we'll go every two weeks, and from 36 weeks until the baby's born it will be every week. The doctor measured Claire at 30 centimeters long, which is right on target.

We had signed up for a childbirth class on May 16 but now I have a client coming into town that weekend, so we asked about rescheduling the class. The April one's already over and the June one is for something like June 28 -- a week and a half before our due date. The receptionist told us all of the information is available online, so armed with that website plus the packet of "curriculum" for the class (including yet another copy of "What to Expect the First Year" -- it's an epidemic!) I think we're going to skip the class altogether.

I'm so, so, so happy to report that I'm having consistently good runs again. My theory, actually, is that the pollen, not the pregnancy, was to blame. I've never been bothered by pollen, but one day last week I ran right after a good rain and had the best run in forever. That got me thinking pollen might be the culprit. The pollen's starting to build up again, so maybe this is partly mental, but I haven't had a bad run since then.

Also, this may have nothing to do with being pregnant, but I recently had the worst case of poison ivy I've ever had (it's finally clearing up after about two weeks). It started with two bumps on my ankle, which I scratched because I thought they were bug bites; it spread all the way up my body and over onto Matt's. It was terrible. Every day I found a new patch. Poison ivy, like pollen, has never affected me, so maybe the pregnancy somehow really is to blame.

28 weeks

Happy seven-months-in-utero to Claire! It's amazing to me that, thanks to medical technology, she would have an excellent chance of surviving with no long-term ill effects if she were born now. Obviously a birth at 28 weeks is far from ideal, but it's nice to know that if it happened, it would probably be OK.

Judging from Claire's constant activity, I'd say she's having the time of her life in my stomach and isn't in any rush to exit. In another couple of months I'm sure she'll be a lot less comfortable (I know I will be). Pregnancy is treating me great, but I'm getting really excited about meeting the baby. I can't wait to hold her and start to learn her personality and see who she looks like.

I do have a minor complaint, which is that running has gotten more difficult in the past two weeks. I'm not sure if it's directly related to the pregnancy or if it's simply because I'm carrying around an extra 10 pounds, but I huff and puff all the way through my runs lately. I haven't had a really effortless run for a couple of weeks. When I get home and whine about it Matt says this is what running feels like for most people, so maybe I've just been spoiled for the past 20 years.

No matter how hard it is, I'm determined to run till the end -- no matter how pathetically slow I am around week 38 -- because it's absolutely essential to my sanity, and to me there's no substitute.

Good news

I do not have gestational diabetes! I had the test this afternoon and got the call a few hours later as I was walking out of the grocery store carrying two pounds of strawberries, two pounds of plums and a 12-pack of Coke. I would hate to give up any of that sugary goodness, so I'm thrilled not to have to.

Also, here's the bump at 27 weeks:

3/3

I think today (27 weeks) marks the beginning of my third trimester. In the past few weeks my stomach has grown from ambiguously pregnant to clearly pregnant. Last week on vacation I wore a bikini and wasn't self-conscious about it, but I was only around family. Stephen kept saying with astonishment "Your stomach is getting bigger every day!" My belly button, formerly an "innie," has flattened out and is flush with the rest of my stomach. I'll try to remember to get Matt to take a picture tonight.

Claire is a crazy active girl. Half the time I feel like a cyclone is blowing through my stomach (and often it looks like Mexican jumping beans are residing in there), but I love it. It's nice to know she's alive and well. Lately whenever we're watching TV and I'm bored, I just hike up my shirt, stare at my stomach and voila: instant entertainment.

Last night was a Subway/Chinese night and when I asked for extra pickles the woman nodded knowingly and said, "Because of the baby!" I laughed and told her my extra-pickles fetish is nothing new.

Tomorrow is my monthly doctor's appointment and it's the one where I'll be tested for gestational diabetes. I know it's highly unlikely that I'll test positive, but on the other hand, I eat sugar and drink Coke all day long, so why should I feel confident? Especially since both Melissa and Carrie had it. Well, what will be will be, I guess. Wish me luck.

Claire Devon

We thought picking a middle name would be easy once we'd settled on Claire for the first name, but it wasn't. Anyway, we've finally decided just to go with Devon, for Claire Devon Kirby. We aren't crazy about the way the full name flows (it could use another couple of syllables), but overall we like it better than the other combinations we tossed around.

The main thing we like about Devon is that it's not at all common (ranked No. 793 for 2008) or girly. I don't think of Claire as a girly name either, but we found that when paired with most of the middle names we considered, it took on an overtly feminine quality that we didn't like.

Also, happy six-months-in-utero birthday to Claire (as of last Wednesday)! Here's the six-month/24-week picture, which we actually didn't get around to taking until last night, but it's close enough.

Yay for eBay!

Right after writing the last post a wonderful thing happened. I decided to check eBay one more time for the elusive 7 For All Mankind maternity jeans in my size and length and for a reasonable price, and miracle of miracles! A pair had just been listed in my size, with the original (34-inch) inseam, and for less than one-third what they cost in the store!

I was excited but didn't get my hopes up because there were several days of bidding left and I wasn't willing to pay the "buy it now" price. Yesterday, with just a few hours left in the auction, I finally put in a bid, still sure someone would swoop in at the last second and take them from me. But apparently most people in the market for these jeans really have shorter legs than I do because I WON!
I can't wait till they get here. I feel sure they'll fit because they're exactly what I've tried on in the store (and exactly what I wear in non-maternity jeans). But even if they don't, at this price, I'm confident I could resell them and break even, if not turn a profit -- although I might have to throw in a credit for hemming. :)

This afternoon we had our monthly doctor's appointment. It was completely routine -- all they did was check the heartbeat. And weigh me. Apparently I have now gained either seven or nine pounds (the scale flickered back and forth and I don't know which number the nurse went with), almost all of which came in the last month. Clearly I have a healthy appetite.

Yesterday was the first time a stranger commented on my belly, and it happened not once but twice, in Chick-fil-A and then at the new shoe store beside the new TJ Maxx. Amanda was with me both times. The woman at the shoe store also felt the need to inform Amanda she is in fact going to have a boy. Multiple ultrasounds? Whatever. She's carrying it like a boy. (No worries, she agreed that I'm having a girl.)

What to wear

Week 22 already! That's so hard to believe. This is my stomach as of last night:
People who know I'm pregnant keep saying it's really popping out, but I still feel like strangers might look at me and see a beer belly.

Last week I decided, with Matt's input, that rather than buying one pair of super-expensive 7 For All Mankind maternity jeans, I'd buy:

a) one pair of cheap jeans (these are from Motherhood Maternity and with a 31-inch inseam they're just long enough to wear with flats; hopefully they won't shrink AT ALL in the wash, but if they do, they'll make their way to Amanda's closet like countless other pants);


b) one pair of long dressy jeans (these are from GapMaternity and I LOVE THEM. They are long enough to wear with heels or wedges and I can dress them up or down);
c) one pair of casual, lightweight pants that will be good with a T-shirt and flip-flops -- as comfortable as sweatpants, but cuter (I haven't bought any yet, but these are from GapMaternity);
d) and one pair of black dress pants (so far I haven't found a single pair that fits right -- they're all short and baggy).

All of these will add up to less than one pair of designer jeans (crazy) and I think I'll be happier with several options rather than just one perfect pair. I might be wrong about that, but I can say for sure that I LOVE the long Gap dressy jeans (which I'm wearing today). While I don't love the way these "everyday" jeans look on me, they're good enough ... I think.

Loving the band

My stomach continues to grow and I'm going to assume that Claire's to blame, not Girl Scout cookies. (WHY does no cookie manufacturer copy and sell Samoas?!)

Yesterday I wore work pants to church, as usual, and they were uncomfortably tight. I couldn't wait to get home and trade them out for pajama pants. So today I used the belly band with my work pants for the first time. Love it! It's not "the" Bella Band, just a generic I found on eBay, but it works great. In fact, I think everyone -- man or woman, pregnant or not -- should own a belly band for fat days.

I don't know how long it will let me postpone real maternity pants. Carrie didn't like the band, but Amanda used it for months, and they're about the same size (before and during pregnancy) so maybe it's just personal preference.

Speaking of maternity pants, last week we were in Atlanta and our hotel was one mile from A Pea in the Pod, so I decided to bite the bullet and buy the 7 for All Mankind maternity jeans I've been lusting after. I'd seen on their website that the style I wanted was $25 off and I'd called the 800-number to ask if that discount applied in stores as well as online (I was told it did) and how long it was good for (I was told through the end of February).

So Matt and I went to the store, they had one pair in my size, I tried them on, I loved them. Just to make sure, I asked the saleswoman, "These are $25 off, right?" And what did she say? "That sale ended yesterday!" NO! Now I can't buy them for full price, on principle.

I'm going to write a letter to A Pea in the Pod, explain the situation and ask if they'll send me a $25 coupon, but I'm sure they won't. I wish I'd never even known about that short-lived sale. I also wish I'd emailed A Pea in the Pod about how long the sale was going on, rather than just calling -- now it's my word against theirs.

There are a zillion pairs of 7 maternity jeans on eBay, but I'm very hesitant to buy them without trying them on because so many of them have been altered. I don't buy 7s for the label, I buy them for the length -- so I don't want to shell out a lot of money for a pair of jeans that started out with a 34-inch inseam and are now down to 31. If I'm going to wear maternity jeans that aren't quite long enough, I can just get them at Target. Plus, if I buy them off of eBay and they don't work, I'm stuck with them -- I can't just return them to the store -- and I do NOT want to have to deal with reselling them.

Back to my expanding stomach, today was the first day at CrossFit that my stomach definitely hit the ground while I was doing pushups. It was weird -- it felt like there was a ball under me. I didn't like it. I'm also quitting ab workouts as of today because I'm afraid of building ab muscles around the bump.

Can you believe we're more than halfway through this pregnancy? Or only halfway through -- I can't decide which.

P.S. We still haven't decided on a middle name ...

Visible bump

Finally, finally, I have a bump that shows up in pictures! I can still wear all of my pants but most of my work pants are starting to get tight. I can probably squeeze another couple of weeks out of them. My jeans are still fine since they sit lower than my work pants.

Check out the growth.

This was taken at 4 weeks, right after I found out I was pregnant:

I took pictures at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks ... still no change ... then this one at 17 weeks (I thought the bump would show up in last week's pictures, since there was no mistaking it in real life, but it didn't):

Then, today's 18-week photo. Can you believe the difference a week made?Time to get diligent about the stretch-mark-prevention cream. I wish I believed in that stuff but I think it's more about genetics (but I'll use it anyway).

P.S. Have you ever seen such a disgusting-looking sweet potato?

Hormones

I don't feel hormonal, but something's off because I have cried over some crazy things lately. Such as a TV remote that wouldn't work for me and then immediately worked for Matt. And a Sports Guy column about a dog that died. And Kay Yow's death (very sad, but it's not like I knew her personally). And the taste of Coke (happy tears). Matt could give you more examples.

It's like irrational PMS tears except that in this case I know as I'm crying that I'm reacting disproportionately, and usually that makes me laugh through the tears. Whereas with PMS outbreaks it was usually the next day before I realized how unreasonable I was being.

In other news, my bump is starting to show (I've been saying that for weeks, but finally other people are acknowledging it). I even got my first belly pat last week, courtesy of Lauren R. My clothes still fit fine and I haven't gained any weight -- yet -- but I looked back at Amanda's pictures and she started to pop between 16 and 20 weeks so I bet I'll be the same.

I hesitate to talk about "cravings" while pregnant because I don't think I've been craving anything more now than I did before I was pregnant. I mean, hearing me say "We need to make a chocolate cake RIGHT NOW" is not something Matt experienced for the first time in the past 17 weeks.

But in the past month or so especially there have been certain foods that sound good to me all the time: grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cheese toast, Kraft macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and crackers, pizza, oatmeal, Chick-fil-A, cereal, yogurt, grapefruit juice and FRUIT. All fruit, but especially strawberries, white grapes, blueberries and oranges ... I cannot get enough.

All of those foods, with the exception of pizza, are pretty bland. Heavily seasoned foods, even those that I love -- chili, steaks, lasagna, Japanese food -- are totally unappealing to me right now. This seems like something that would have hit in the first trimester; I don't know what's causing it. It's not that foods with strong flavors make me feel queasy, not at all; they just, as I said, don't sound good.

Matt thought I was crazy until Carrie told him she went through a pregnancy phase of wanting nothing but grilled cheese and PB&J sandwiches. I suppose it will pass. I'm fine with it, but it does make me completely unmotivated to cook, so I feel bad for Matt.

Milestones

The baby's reportedly growing by leaps and bounds these days, but there's no outward evidence, which is why I haven't blogged lately. Week 12 (plum) starts tomorrow so that's a good milestone -- the end of the first trimester. I think. I've heard conflicting things about that -- some say the first trimester is 14 weeks long. Whatever, it doesn't really matter.

The other baby news from this week is that I've started to notice the tiniest of baby bumps. No one else would be able to tell it's there -- even Matt can't see it when I try to show him -- but I can. No matter how I suck in, there's a bump below my belly button that won't go away.

I know it's just bloating, and my pants still fit perfectly fine, but I decided to be proactive and order a set of three belly bands (not the brand-name Bella Bands) off of eBay. These allow you to keep wearing your regular pants, just unzipped and unbuttoned. I don't know how long they'll work, but Amanda's almost three months ahead of me and they're still doing the trick for her.

In the past couple of weeks I've gotten less strict about caffeine and in fact have begun having sweet tea with lunch almost every day. Just today I had my first cherry Coke, but only because I think I'm permanently sick of Sprite, and that was the only caffeine-free option (except for water, but I'd paid for the combo). Although tea has its share of sugar and caffeine, it feels a lot healthier than soda, and I don't feel guilty having a glass or two once a day.

Oh, this was cool too -- a girl at CrossFit who I barely even know gave me a like-new infant car seat/carrier yesterday. It's gender-neutral and looks like it's never been used. I thought that was so nice!